Be wary of comparing health statistics

Your Jan. 5 editorial entitled "Perspective needed on Obamacare" made reference to studies that rank the U.S. "well behind other industrialized nations" in providing medical care. This information was then used to support your conclusion regarding the efficacy of the U.S. healthcare system, and thus the need for Obamacare.

While I do not now this for a fact, I believe it is safe to surmise that the referenced studies were completed based on a compilation of statistics issued by the various countries. If this is the case, the rankings and any conslusions reached based on the studies are suspect as each individual country sets there own criteria on how they report healthcare activity.

For example, a recent study on infant mortality ranked the U.S. 41 out of 45 industrialized nations. However, a closer look at the data reveals many countries exclude the following infants when calculating their infant mortality rates:

? Infants born weighing less than 500g;

? Infants less than 30 centimeters in length;

? Infants surviving less than 24 hours are classified as either stillborn or the birth is defined as a miscarriage.

These classifications are made regardless if the infant, when born, had taken a breath, moved on its own accord, or had a heartbeat.

Infants defined by points 1 and 2 above are considered by many countries offering socialized medicine as unsalvageable and therefore little effort is offered in preserving the infant's life. This is not the case in the U.S.; here every effort is made to preserve the life of a newborn (except of course in the case of botched abortion but that is another issue).

The only U.S. consideration in defining when an infant is born alive, and therefore to be included in the U.S. infant mortality calculation, is if the infant has taken a breath, made one voluntary move, or had one heartbeat (the size of the infant is not a factor). Considering that it is estimated that approximately 40 percent of all infant deaths occur in the first 24 hours, it is really a testament to the U.S. healthcare system that the U.S. is ranked 41 and not dead last in this study.

Statistics can be easily manipulated in order to advance the agenda of the individual or party in power. Government-supplied statistics say that an infant has a better chance to survive in Cuba versus the U.S. Does anyone seriously believe this to be true? Well, maybe a few unsophisticated individuals might be inclined to believe this, but I suspect the vast majorty do not. Nor do I believe that your editorial made a compelling argument for keeping Obamacare, which will only drive up the cost of health insurance for most Americans and do nothing to improve actual healthcare services.

Tom Kulawiec

CALIFON

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Be wary of comparing health statistics

Your Jan. 5 editorial entitled 'Perspective needed on Obamacare' made reference to studies that rank the U.S. 'well behind other industrialized nations' in providing medical care.

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